Summer Ball

When he rejoins the boys, Will asks Danny, “‘how’d it go with you and your conscience?’” (141), underscoring the effect Tess has on Danny. Nick Pinto questions the boys, catching them coming in from the lake. However, Zach invents a story to cover for them. Nick unhappily accepts the story, and “Danny couldn’t decide whether Nick was mad about whatever he thought they’d done on the water, wherever they’d gone, or because of the whole deal with his knee the day before” (143). Danny, refreshed after talking to Tess, takes Zach out to practice. Zach holds a broom, pretending to be a taller player, and Danny works on a shot that will soar over the tallest players and fall into the basket to score. Once satisfied, Zach and Danny retire for the night.

After a Celtics player suffers an injury, Danny gets more playing time in the scrimmages. Excited, Danny remarks “he was a point guard again, with the big boys this time” (151). Even Rasheed and Danny start playing well together: “It was if he and Rasheed, for this one game, had thrown out everything except this: Winning the game” (151). However, Danny, running out of time in the game, attempts his new shot instead of passing to Rasheed, and the shot falls short.